Anyone looking to get a film funded in Austria today can no longer avoid one topic: sustainability. But what’s actually behind the green requirements – and what does it mean in concrete terms for production companies?
Anyone looking to get a film funded in Austria today can no longer avoid one topic: sustainability. But what’s actually behind the green requirements – and what does it mean in concrete terms for production companies?
Sustainable production is no longer an optional add-on in the Austrian film industry – it’s a structural prerequisite. Companies that have earned the Austrian Ecolabel UZ 76 or that meet the criteria of the funding programs have already done a significant part of the work. Since 2021, sustainable production has been a fixed component of Austrian film funding – an obligation tied to concrete financial incentives. Those who know the rules of the game can use them to their advantage.
The two pillars: ÖFI and FISAplus
Before we get into the details, here’s a quick overview of the two major funding bodies that set the pace in Austria.
Primarily funds Austrian cinema productions – feature films, documentaries, animated films – through selective funding and the automatic ÖFI+ program.
Base funding: 30 % of eligible production costs
Green Bonus: + 5 % Green Bonus
A funding measure of the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs, administered through Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws). Focus: international service productions as well as Austrian TV and streaming productions.
Base grant: 30 %
Green bonus: + 5 % Green Bonus
Sounds simple at first. You just get the extra 5 % on top if you produce “somewhat green.” Right? Not quite.
What the ÖFI really requires
Green filming is no longer optional – it’s mandatory
Since 2021, the green filming regulations have been mandatory for all productions funded by the ÖFI – regardless of whether the Green Bonus is applied for or not. A “Final Green Report” is a mandatory part of the final accounting for every funded feature film. Anyone who ignores this will run into problems at final settlement.
The ÖFI has developed its own catalog of ecological standards criteria, which distinguishes between MUST and SHOULD criteria. Since the start of 2026, this catalog comprises 26 MUST criteria. For base funding, at least 20 of these must be met. Anyone who wants the Green Bonus has to clear a higher bar: at least 22 of the 26 MUST criteria must be demonstrated.
The Green Film Consultant: mandatory
One central requirement that many underestimate: engaging a Green Film Consultant is mandatory. Not optional. Not “nice to have.” Mandatory. This consultant accompanies the production, advises on implementing the criteria, and helps set up clean documentation. The costs for this are eligible for funding – an important point in the budget calculation.
CO₂ balance using the LAFC calculator
It’s not enough to say at the end of production: “It was all pretty green, more or less.” The ÖFI requires a total actual CO₂eq balance, produced using a film-specific calculator. The ÖFI mandates the use of the LAFC calculator for this. Target and actual values must be compared against each other.
The Green Bonus – not a gift, but a promise
The 5 % Green Bonus under ÖFI+ isn’t an extra received as a reward at the end. It’s part of the financing and is factored in at the time of application. However, the 5 % is withheld until the project is completed – until the Final Green Report has been reviewed. If the minimum requirements aren’t met, this 5 % is forfeited entirely.
What FISAplus requires
The basic logic at FISAplus is similar: a 30 % base grant plus a 5 % green bonus for implementing green filming. The funding guidelines include a dedicated Annex 5: Green Producing, which defines the requirements.
Important: FISAplus has its own catalog of criteria, which matched the ÖFI catalog of criteria until the end of 2025. Compliance is likewise verified by accredited Ecolabel auditors.
The specific requirements are closely modeled on the Ecolabel Guideline UZ 76, “Green Producing in Film and Television.” This guideline has existed since 2017 and has been available in an updated version (version 3.0) since January 2025. It forms the backbone of the entire Austrian green producing system.
The same applies at FISAplus: during the production of the funded project, ecologically sustainable production practices must be observed – the environmental standards currently in force at the Austrian film location must be complied with.
The Ecolabel Guideline UZ 76: the foundation
UZ 76 forms the substantive basis of the entire Austrian green producing system. Note: Part A of UZ 76 is exclusively part of the certification – it does not appear in the ÖFI or FISAplus catalogs of criteria. These essentially cover Part B.
Concerns the film production company itself: mission statement, office management, mobility, IT. There must be a Green Producing Officer within the company. Environmentally friendly office paper, certified cleaning products, energy-efficient equipment – all are reviewed. Proof required at initial application, then every four years thereafter. Only part of the UZ 76 certification.
Concerns the specific film production and is the larger block. Covers mobility, on-set operations, set design, costumes, catering, accommodation, and more. This part forms the basis of both the UZ 76 certification and the ÖFI and FISAplus funding criteria catalogs.
The criteria in Part B cover, among others, the following areas:
There are MUST criteria and SHOULD criteria, with the SHOULD criteria offering some choice. In the end, an accredited auditor reviews compliance, and only after a positive assessment is the Ecolabel awarded.
What this means in practice
Green producing is structured pre-production work. It means bringing in a green consultant early, creating a green concept, selecting sustainable suppliers, briefing the team, and cleanly documenting everything at the end. The good news: all of this, when planned systematically, is not extra effort without a return – it’s part of a funding model designed specifically to reward exactly that.
5 % more funding. For a film with one million euros in eligible costs in Austria, that’s 50,000 euros. And the additional costs for sustainable production – green consultant, organic catering, electric vehicles – are recognized as a separate, eligible line item in the budget.
A look beyond Austria’s borders
Austria is not alone in this. In 2025, the ÖFI actively contributed to implementing the Nordic Environmental Standards (NES), which are based on German and Austrian ecological standards. The harmonization of CO₂ calculators and criteria catalogs at the European level is progressing. Anyone who learns to produce green in Austria today will also be well prepared for international co-productions tomorrow – where sustainable production is increasingly becoming a prerequisite.
By now, more than 110 productions from over 40 companies have been certified with the UZ 76 Ecolabel – including international streaming productions such as Nine Perfect Strangers – Season 2 and Vienna Blood – Season 4. This shows: it works. Not without friction, not without a learning curve, but it works.
(For current certification figures, please inquire with the VKI.)
Conclusion: not greenwashing, but a real commitment
Austrian film funding has taken a clear stance on green producing. What began in 2017 as a voluntary Ecolabel guideline is today a mandatory system with measurable criteria, financial incentives, and tangible consequences. Those who know the rules and take them seriously benefit. Those who ignore them lose money.
And that may be the most honest motivation of all.
